Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors Salary
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI make a median of $63,640 a year, or about $30.6 an hour. The range runs from $34K at the entry level to $64K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.94), that's roughly $65,649 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,338/month, about 32% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $64K get you in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Milwaukee-Waukesha’s Regional Price Parity (96.94). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About refuse and recyclable material collectors
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Milwaukee-Waukesha
Milwaukee-Waukesha sits well above the national pay line for refuse and recyclable material collectors, local pay runs about 28% higher than the U.S. median of $50K. Rent runs $1,338/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 96.94) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for refuse and recyclable material collectors in metros near Milwaukee-Waukesha, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Janesville-Beloit | $62K | $66K |
| Eau Claire | $59K | $63K |
| Madison | $60K | $61K |
| Kenosha | $60K | $60K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI
Entry-level refuse and recyclable material collectors (10th percentile) start around $34K. Mid-career wages sit at $64K. Top earners bring in $64K or more, a $31K spread from bottom to top.
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | $75K | +51% | 4,910 |
| Washington | $75K | +50% | 3,750 |
| New York | $65K | +31% | 11,630 |
| California | $65K | +31% | 13,930 |
| Oregon | $63K | +27% | 2,500 |
| Minnesota | $63K | +26% | 2,500 |
| Nevada | $61K | +23% | 770 |
| Delaware | $61K | +23% | 600 |
| Colorado | $60K | +21% | 3,700 |
| Wisconsin | $60K | +20% | 1,550 |
| Utah | $59K | +19% | 960 |
| North Dakota | $59K | +19% | 360 |
| Indiana | $59K | +19% | 3,180 |
| Hawaii | $56K | +13% | 770 |
| Rhode Island | $56K | +13% | 470 |
| District of Columbia | $55K | +12% | 540 |
| New Jersey | $55K | +10% | 4,330 |
| Vermont | $52K | +5% | 160 |
| Michigan | $51K | +3% | 4,020 |
| Massachusetts | $50K | +1% | 1,010 |
| Missouri | $50K | +1% | 1,930 |
| Idaho | $50K | +0% | 730 |
| Iowa | $50K | +0% | 1,780 |
| Montana | $49K | -1% | 370 |
| Nebraska | $49K | -1% | 910 |
| Ohio | $49K | -1% | 4,710 |
| Wyoming | $49K | -2% | 280 |
| Pennsylvania | $48K | -3% | 6,220 |
| Florida | $48K | -4% | 11,650 |
| New Mexico | $48K | -4% | 1,070 |
| Georgia | $47K | -5% | 4,830 |
| Arizona | $47K | -6% | 2,380 |
| New Hampshire | $47K | -6% | 340 |
| Virginia | $47K | -6% | 4,330 |
| Texas | $46K | -7% | 12,860 |
| Alabama | $46K | -7% | 2,790 |
| Alaska | $46K | -8% | 250 |
| Kansas | $46K | -8% | 910 |
| North Carolina | $45K | -10% | 7,250 |
| Maine | $43K | -13% | 770 |
| Tennessee | $43K | -13% | 2,550 |
| Kentucky | $43K | -13% | 1,580 |
| Oklahoma | $43K | -13% | 2,030 |
| Maryland | $42K | -16% | 3,120 |
| Mississippi | $39K | -21% | 1,970 |
| Louisiana | $39K | -22% | 2,200 |
| Connecticut | $38K | -23% | 810 |
| West Virginia | $36K | -28% | 1,000 |
| Arkansas | $36K | -28% | 1,600 |
| South Carolina | $35K | -30% | 2,020 |
| South Dakota | $33K | -34% | 340 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track refuse and recyclable material collectors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Milwaukee-Waukesha numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a refuse and recyclable material collector afford a 2BR apartment alone in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $64K, rent takes 31.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,338/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for refuse and recyclable material collectors in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new refuse and recyclable material collectors typically earn — is $34K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,018/month. At HUD’s $1,338/month FMR, rent would take 66% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is refuse and recyclable material collector a high-paying job in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
Local pay is 28% above the national median — $64K here vs. $50K nationally.
How does Milwaukee-Waukesha compare to the national average for refuse and recyclable material collectors?
Milwaukee-Waukesha pays $64K median vs. the U.S. average of $50K — that’s +28%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.94), the purchasing-power equivalent is $66K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do refuse and recyclable material collectors make in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?
The median is $63,640 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $33,630, and experienced refuse and recyclable material collectors can clear $64,200. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $64K enough to live in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,236/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,338/month, which eats 31.6% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a refuse and recyclable material collectors salary go in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
Milwaukee-Waukesha has a Regional Price Parity of 96.94 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median refuse and recyclable material collectors salary is worth about $65,649 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do refuse and recyclable material collectors get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.